April 8, 2008
Box Score
Orem, UT --- Down 4-1 entering the top of the seventh inning, Utah Valley did everything possible to give Idaho State a gift wrapped win, but the Bengals couldn't capitalize on three late errors, stranding the tying run at third base as the Bengals lost the nightcap of a twin bill with Utah Valley 4-3 after getting one-hit in the opener 8-0.
The final inning was seemingly a microcosm of the season for the Bengals. Down 4-1 entering the seventh, Idaho State (5-21) got a leadoff single from Krista Armstrong, a liner that ticked off the leaping Kayla Anderson at third base. Megan Miller then grounded to third, but Anderson's throw was wide of the bad for an error, putting runners on second and third. Emily Hu then hit a ball to second, and that too was bobbled for an error, scoring Armstrong to make it 4-2.
Utah Valley (7-22) then had to face ISU's top power hitter in Heather Dixon, and after Hu moved into scoring positon on a wild pitch, putting the tying run in scoring position with none out, Dixon popped out to second base for the first out. Pitcher Alli Bromwell (6-8) then struck out Wailana Buchanan for the second out, and the game was seemingly over when Ivy Sessions grounded to short, but a third error of the inning allowed Miller to score, and put Hu on third as the tying run.
However, Bromwell ended the game by striking out Brandi Christopher on three pitches to end it, her ninth strike out of the game, and her eighth of the game against ISU's 4-5-6 hitters, who went 0-for-12 in the game and 0-for-18 in the doubleheader.
The Bengals allowed a single run in the first, but they got that one back in the third, again with the help of very shaky defense, as Armstrong led off with a single and scored after two errors. However, Natasha Milosevich (3-8) couldn't hold the lead. Milosevich might have been rattled by an illegal pitch call, which turned a foul ball into a ball, as she gave up a two-run home run on the next pitch. A double and a single later and she was replaced by Andrea Coburn, who threw 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.
In the first game, Megan Miller led the game off with a single up the middle, and that was all ISU could muster against Bramwell, who was stellar, allowing just the one hit and striking out eight while walking no one. The Bengals were in the hole from the start as Kandis Clesson (2-3) allowed two hits and a walk to load the bases in the first with none out. After a line out and a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0, Anderson crushed a Clesson 2-2 offering well beyond the left field fence for a three-run home run and a 4-0 lead. Clesson allowed 10 hits on the day in 5.1 innnings.
For the day, Krista Armstrong was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, and Amanda Stachowsky picked up her first start at catcher and went 2-for-3 at the plate. Megan Miller also had a hit in each game and ran her hitting streak to a modest four games.
Idaho State, who had won four in a row, will attempt to once again host their home opener on Wednesday afternoon against Utah State at no one at Rainey Park.
NOTES: Miller's average dropped slightly, but she still leads with a .329 average ... of the regulars that qualify with enough at bats, five players are hitting .200 or less ... all of Stachowsky's hits this season have come with two outs ...
